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Specifying application properties</TITLE>
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<A NAME="CABADAFAB"></A><h1>Specifying application properties</h1>
<A NAME="TI1370"></A><p>You specify application properties in the Application painter's
Properties view. </p>
<A NAME="TI1371"></A><p><img src="images/proc.gif" width=17 height=17 border=0 align="bottom" alt="Steps"> To specify application properties:</p>
<ol><li class=fi><p>In the Application painter, if the Properties
view is not open, select View&gt;Properties from the menu
bar.</p><p>With the exception of the AppName property, the properties
on the General and Toolbar tab pages can be modified in the Properties
view and in scripts. </p><p>If you need help specifying properties in the Properties view,
right-click on the background of the Properties view and select
Help from the pop-up menu.</p></li>
<li class=ds><p>Select the General or Toolbar tab page, or, on
the General tab page, click the Additional Properties button to
display the Application properties dialog box.</p><p>The additional properties on the Application properties dialog
box can be modified only in this dialog box. They cannot be modified
in scripts.</p></li>
<li class=ds><p>Specify the properties:</p><A NAME="TI1372"></A><table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=6 border=1 frame="void" rules="all"><tr><th  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1373"></A>To specify this</th>
<th  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1374"></A>Use this tab page</th>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1375"></A>Display name</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1376"></A>General tab page</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1377"></A>Application has toolbar text and toolbar
tips</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1378"></A>Toolbar tab page</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1379"></A>Default font for static text as it appears
in windows, user objects, and DataWindow objects</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1380"></A>Additional Properties (Text Font)</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1381"></A>Default font for data retrieved in a
DataWindow object</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1382"></A>Additional Properties (Column Font)</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1383"></A>Default font for column headers in tabular
and grid DataWindow objects</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1384"></A>Additional Properties (Header Font)</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1385"></A>Default font for column labels in freeform DataWindow
objects</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1386"></A>Additional Properties (Label Font)</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1387"></A>Application icon</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1388"></A>Additional Properties (Icon)</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1389"></A>Global objects for the application</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1390"></A>Additional Properties (Variable Types)</td>
</tr>
</table>
</li></ol>
<br><A NAME="TI1391"></A><p>These sections have information about how you specify the
following application properties in the Application painter:</p>
<A NAME="TI1392"></A><p><A NAME="TI1393"></A>
<ul>
<li class=fi><A HREF="pbugp45.htm#CAIBCIIDC">"Specifying default text
properties"</A></li>
<li class=ds><A HREF="pbugp45.htm#CAICFHBEF">"Specifying an icon"</A></li>
<li class=ds><A HREF="pbugp45.htm#CAIBCEIA">"Specifying default global
objects"</A>
</li>
</ul>
</p>
<A NAME="CAIBCIIDC"></A><h2>Specifying default text properties</h2>
<A NAME="TI1394"></A><p>You probably want to establish a standard look for the text
in your application. There are four kinds of text whose properties
you can specify in the Application painter: text, header, column,
and label.</p>
<A NAME="TI1395"></A><p>PowerBuilder provides default settings for the font, size,
and style for each of these and a default color for text and the
background. You can change these settings for an application in
the Application painter and override the settings for a window,
user object, or DataWindow object.</p>
<p><img src="images/note.gif" width=17 height=17 border=0 align="bottom" alt="Note"> <span class=shaded>Properties set in the Database painter override application
properties</span> <A NAME="TI1396"></A>If extended attributes have been set for a database column
in the Database painter or Table painter, those font specifications
override the fonts specified in the Application painter.</p>
<A NAME="TI1397"></A><p><img src="images/proc.gif" width=17 height=17 border=0 align="bottom" alt="Steps"> To change the text defaults for an application:</p>
<ol><li class=fi><p>In the Properties view, click Additional
Properties and select one of the following:</p><p><A NAME="TI1398"></A>
<ul>
<li class=fi>Text Font tab</li>
<li class=ds>Header Font tab</li>
<li class=ds>Column Font tab</li>
<li class=ds>Label Font tab
</li>
</ul>
</p><p>The tab you choose displays the current settings for the font,
size, style, and color. The text in the Sample box illustrates text
with the current settings.</p></li>
<li class=ds><p>Review the settings and make any necessary changes:</p><p><A NAME="TI1399"></A>
<ul>
<li class=fi>To change the font,
select a font from the Font list.</li>
<li class=ds>To change the size, select a size from the Size
list or type a valid size in the list.</li>
<li class=ds>To change the style, select a style (Regular, Italic,
Bold, or Bold Italic) from the Font styles list.</li>
<li class=ds>To change font effects, select one or more from
the Effects group box (Strikeout and Underline).</li>
<li class=ds>To change the text color, select a color from the
Text Color list. (You do not specify colors for data, headings,
and labels here; instead, you do that in the DataWindow painter.)</li>
<li class=ds>To change the background color, select a color from
the Background list.
</li>
</ul>
</p><p><img src="images/note.gif" width=17 height=17 border=0 align="bottom" alt="Note"> <span class=shaded>Using custom colors</span> <A NAME="TI1400"></A>When specifying a text color, you can choose a custom color.
You can define custom colors in several painters, including the
Window painter or DataWindow painter.</p>
</li>
<li class=ds><p>When you have made all the changes, click OK.</p></li></ol>
<br><A NAME="CAICFHBEF"></A><h2>Specifying an icon</h2>
<A NAME="TI1401"></A><p>Users can minimize your application at runtime. If you specify
an icon in the application painter, the icon will display when the
application is minimized.</p>
<A NAME="TI1402"></A><p><img src="images/proc.gif" width=17 height=17 border=0 align="bottom" alt="Steps"> To associate an icon with an application:</p>
<ol><li class=fi><p>In the Properties view, click Additional
Properties and select the Icon tab.</p></li>
<li class=ds><p>Specify a file containing an icon (an ICO file).</p><p>The button displays below the Browse button.</p></li>
<li class=ds><p>Click OK to associate the icon with the application.</p></li></ol>
<br><A NAME="CAIBCEIA"></A><h2>Specifying default global objects</h2>
<A NAME="TI1403"></A><p>PowerBuilder provides five built-in global objects that are
predefined in all applications.</p>
<A NAME="TI1404"></A><table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=6 border=1 frame="void" rules="all"><tr><th  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1405"></A>Global object</th>
<th  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1406"></A>Description</th>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1407"></A><ACRONYM title = "sequel c a" >SQLCA</ACRONYM></td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1408"></A>Transaction object, used to communicate
with your database</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1409"></A><ACRONYM title = "sequel d a" >SQLDA</ACRONYM></td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1410"></A>DynamicDescriptionArea, used in dynamic <ACRONYM title = "sequel" >SQL</ACRONYM></td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1411"></A><ACRONYM title = "sequel s a" >SQLSA</ACRONYM></td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1412"></A>DynamicStagingArea, used in dynamic <ACRONYM title = "sequel" >SQL</ACRONYM></td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1413"></A>Error</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1414"></A>Used to report errors during execution</td>
</tr>
<tr><td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1415"></A>Message</td>
<td  rowspan="1"  ><A NAME="TI1416"></A>Used to process messages that are not
PowerBuilder-defined events and to pass parameters between windows</td>
</tr>
</table>
<A NAME="TI1417"></A><p>You can create your own versions of these objects by creating
a standard class user object inherited from one of the built-in
global objects. You can add instance variables and functions to
enhance the behavior of the global objects.</p>
<A NAME="TI1418"></A><p>For more information, see <A HREF="pbugp129.htm#BCADFDDI">Chapter 15, "Working with User Objects ."</A></p>
<A NAME="TI1419"></A><p>After you do this, you can specify that you want to use your
version of the object in your application as the default, instead
of the built-in version.</p>
<A NAME="TI1420"></A><p><img src="images/proc.gif" width=17 height=17 border=0 align="bottom" alt="Steps"> To specify the default global objects:</p>
<ol><li class=fi><p>In the Properties view, click Additional
Properties and select the Variable Types tab.</p><p>The Variable Types property page displays. </p></li>
<li class=ds><p>Specify the standard class user object you defined
in the corresponding field.</p><p>For example, if you defined a user object named <b>mytrans</b> that
is inherited from the built-in Transaction object, type <FONT FACE="Courier New">mytrans</FONT> in
the box corresponding to<ACRONYM title = "sequel c a" > SQLCA</ACRONYM>.</p><br><img src="images/ap9.gif"><br>
</li>
<li class=ds><p>Click OK.</p></li></ol>
<br><A NAME="TI1421"></A><p>When you run your application, it will use the specified standard
class user objects as the default objects instead of the built-in
global objects.</p>

